Apparatus fob working strand material



l 1617/427 Feb' 15927 f E. c. wEGMAN ETAL l 'APPARATUS rox wonxING ISTRAND MATERIAL Filed June 13. 1924 3 ShootsfSheet 1 E. C. WEGMAN ET AL APPARATUS FOR WORKING STRAND MATERIAL Filed June 13, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 15 1927. 1,617,427

E. c. WEGMAN ET AL APPARATUS FOR WORKING STRAND MATERIAL Filed June 15. 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 x Mar C14/@maiz /7 Mmm Patented Feb. 15, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST CONRAD YVES-MAN AND "WILLIAIII ALFRED SOUTHWICK, OF CHCAGO, ILLI- NCIS, ASSIGNORS TO WESTERN ELEGLELEC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NlEy YORK.

APPARATUS FOR VJ'ORXNG STRAND MATERIAL.

Application filed .Tune 13,

This invention relates to apparatus for working strand material.

The primary object of the invention is to provide apparatus for twisting 'two strands together' in such manner that during the twisting operation the strands are frictionally held so that for any given length of pair the length of each strand constituting a pair is the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for simultaneously assembling two pairs of strands, twisting the pairs individually and twisting the said pairs together to form a quad.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus for assembling four insulated electrical conductors to form a quadded cable, each quad comprising two twisted pairs, the pairs being twisted together.

A still further object ofthe invention is to provide apparatus for forming quads in such manner that for any given length of a pair the length of each wire constituting the pair is the same.

Apparatus embodying the invention may be used to advantage in forming quadded cable which is suitable for phantom working, such a. cable being used primarily in telephone systems. For a complete disclo sure of the specific construction, and functions of a quadded cable, reference is made to U. S. patent to Anderegg and Mougey, No. 1,271,824.

Heretofore in the manufacture of quadded cable it has been the usual practice first to bind together a pair of conducto-rs by means of a strand wrapping, this binding operation serving to hold the conductors in definite linear relation with respect to cach other. An apparatus for performing this binding ope ation is disclosed iu Patent Ne. 1,565,863, issued Dec. 15, 1925, to C. G. Stoll. Two pairs bound together in the manner just described were then twisted together to form a quad.

The primary object of this invention is to provide apparatus for producing quadded cable in which the binding operation just referred to is dispensed with but at the same time the quadded cable produced has the same balance which was made possible by the binding operation just referred to.

1924. Serial No. 719,697.

Although the invention is particularly adapted for the manufacture of quadded cable for use in telephone systems, it is to he understood that the invention is not conlined to this use and is to bc limited only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Other objects and advantages of thev invention will appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

An apparatus made in accordance with the present invention for manufacturing quadded cable without thc use of a binding for ne individual pairs, comprises means for supplying four insulated conductors, means for `grouping these conductors together in pairs and maintaining them in definite linear relation with respect to each other, and further means for twisting together these pairs of insulated conductors to form the quads while still maintaining the length of each conductor constituting the pair the same, a plurality of quads being stranded together in the usual manner to form a cable.

1n the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an apparatus by which the method may be performed,

Fig. l is a front elevation of such an apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, the framework of the machine being omitted;

Figs. 3 and a are fragmentary and enlarged detail views illustrating the means for grouping the four-conductors into two pairs and maintaining the pairs in definite linear relation with respect to each other;

Figs. 5 and G are a side elevation and vertical section respectively of the mechanism disclosed in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail View.

Itis believed that the improved method will be readily understood by a description of an apparatus by which it may be performed.

Referring now to the drawings in det-ail in which lille reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views, 10 represents vertical uprights and 1l and 12 horizontal spacing members constituting a suitable framework for supporting the varions elements of the apparatus.

Carried by the spacing bars 11 and 12 is a vertically disposed shaft 13 positioned apstrands between the die 149 and .the chuck 57 and the said strands enter the interior o't the chuck, in a manner hereina'tter to be described, as a twisted pair. The strands upon the supply spools 225 and 2-1 mounted within the yoke 18 are ted upwardly and twisted into a pair in a manner similar to the strands ted trom the supply spools 21 and 22 as previouslyv described. is previously stated, trom the polishing dies mounted within the bushings carried by the cross-bu r 16 the twisted pairs aie ted upwardly through a chuck 5T carried by the shatt 13, this chuck having two diagonally arranged openings :3S which meet in a yertically dis-u posed opening 59. As the twisted pairs ot strands pass through the chuck theyr are twisted around each other at a point between the chuck ain. the capstan 1G, whereby the material ted iw said capstan to the take-up device is in the torni oif quad. The length ot twists put in the individual pairs and the length ot tlie twists. between the two pa mailrv be controlled as desired by the substitution otI the proper size gears in the gear train including the gears llt), tl'), 41 and il. Since the apparatus is particularly desir, u or producing the type of cable iultlie nnderegg and ltlougey patent above reterred to, thisdgear ratio is oil such a character that the twists in the quad are shorter than the twists in the pairs constituting the quad.

In the apparatus described quaddled cable may be produced without the use oi a bind .ing for the individual pairs since the capstadns Q5 and and associated elements. nanieli. the tubes Li9 and roller serve to maintain a definite lineal relation between the strands constituting a pair which is an essential requisite in the production ot quadded cable having the electrical characteristics desired.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for working strands,

means for twisting a pair of strands together and friction means associated with said twisting means for maintaining the length oic each strand constituting the pair the same` and means for twist-ing said pairs together to form a quad. l 2. In an apparatus for working strands, a pair of yokes, a pair of supply spools mounted in each yoke, a capstan associated with each yoke and means for drawing ott the worked strands.

3. In an apparatus for working strands, a pair of yokes, a pair ot supply spools inounted in each yoke, a eapstan associated with each yoke, means pressed against the periphery ot each capstan and means for drawing ott the worked strands.

t. In an apparatus for working strands, a plurality7 of rotatable elements, two sources ol" supply oil strand material carried by each of said rotatable elements, means for rotating said elements to twist together strands from said supplies into twisted pairs, means for maintaining the length of each strand constituting each pair the same and means for twisting the twisted pairs together.

5. In an apparatus for working strands, a plurality of rotatable elements, two sources ot supply ot strand material carried by each oit said rotatable elements, means for rotating said elements to twist together strands trom said supplies to form two twisted pairs, gripping means for maintaining the length of each strand constituting each pair the same and means i'or twisting said twisted pairs together.

(l. In an apparatus for working strands, a rotatable element, two sources ol supply ot' strand material carried by said element, means l'or rotating Said element to twist together strands troni said supplies, means comprising a rotary element disposed between said rotatable element and the point where the twisting takes place, said means maintaining the length of each strand constituting a pair. the same.

7. In an apparatus for working strands, a rotatable elementT two sources of supply of strand material carried by said element, means 'for rotating said element to twist together strands from said supplies, means comprising a rotary element and a gripping elementassociated therewith tor maintaining the length of each strand constituting a pair the saine.

8. In an apparatus for working strands, a rotatable element, two sources oit supply ot strand material carried .by said element, means for rotating said element to twist together strands from said supplies, means comprising a revolvable element actuated by the passage of the strands thereover Jfor maintaining the length ot each strand constituting a pair the same.

9. In an apparatus for working strands, a pair ot yokes, a pair of supply spools mounted in each yoke, a capstan having a spring pressed roller cooperating therewith associated with cach yoke and means for drawing otll the worked strands.

In witness whereof, we hereunto subscribe our names this 31st day ot May, A. D. 1924.

ERNEST CONRAD IVEGMAN.

IVIIJLIAM ALFRED SOUTHIVICK. 

